Alert archive / Michigan / Beach Hazards Statements in 2026
Beach Hazards Statement 1, NWS Grand Rapids, MI
NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued this beach hazards statement at May 20, 2026, 4:18 AM EDT for Allegan County, Ottawa County, Van Buren County, Michigan. It took effect at May 20, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT. It was in force for 13 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 20, 2026, 4:18 AM EDT (08:18 UTC)
- In effect from
- May 20, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT
- Expired
- May 21, 2026, 2:00 AM EDT
- In force
- 13 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Grand Rapids, MI
Counties Allegan County, MI, Ottawa County, MI, Van Buren County, MI
The radar
The Grand Rapids radar (KGRR), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:19 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
The nearest sounding before it
Detroit, MI (KDTX), launched 00:00Z, 8.3 hours before the alert went out and 221 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 81 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -21 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1318 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 49 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 68 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 59 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.1
The text
As transmitted.
576 WHUS43 KGRR 200818 CFWGRR Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 418 AM EDT Wed May 20 2026 MIZ056-064-071-201630- /O.NEW.KGRR.BH.S.0001.260520T1700Z-260521T0600Z/ Ottawa-Allegan-Van Buren- 418 AM EDT Wed May 20 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... * WHAT...High wave action, strong currents, and dangerous swimming conditions expected. Piers may be heavily swamped by waves. * WHERE...Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren counties. * WHEN...From 1 PM EDT this afternoon through late tonight. * IMPACTS...Strong currents can pull swimmers into deeper water and high waves can sweep people off piers. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Waves will be on the increase this afternoon as winds pick up out of the north. For a time this afternoon and evening winds will reach the 15 to 25 mph range. Waves will build to 3 to 5 feet, peaking around 600 pm. North sides of north piers will have the most dangerous conditions today including Holland State Park and North Beach in South Haven. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions and do not venture out on piers. Please check with your local authorities on potential beach closures. && $$ DUKE
3 follow-up statements
534 WHUS43 KGRR 201721 CFWGRR Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 121 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026 MIZ056-064-071-210130- /O.CON.KGRR.BH.S.0001.000000T0000Z-260521T0600Z/ Ottawa-Allegan-Van Buren- 121 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... * WHAT...High wave action, strong currents, and dangerous swimming conditions expected. Piers may be heavily swamped by waves. * WHERE...Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren counties. * WHEN...Through late tonight. * IMPACTS...Strong currents can pull swimmers into deeper water and high waves can sweep people off piers. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Waves will be on the increase this afternoon as winds pick up out of the north. For a time this afternoon and evening winds will reach the 15 to 25 mph range. Waves will build to 3 to 5 feet, peaking around 600 pm. North sides of north piers will have the most dangerous conditions today including Holland State Park and North Beach in South Haven. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions and do not venture out on piers. Please check with your local authorities on potential beach closures. && $$
296 WHUS43 KGRR 210240 CFWGRR Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 1040 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026 MIZ056-064-071-210600- /O.CON.KGRR.BH.S.0001.000000T0000Z-260521T0600Z/ Ottawa-Allegan-Van Buren- 1040 PM EDT Wed May 20 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 AM EDT THURSDAY... * WHAT...High wave action, strong currents, and dangerous swimming conditions expected. Piers may be heavily swamped by waves. * WHERE...Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren counties. * WHEN...Through late tonight. * IMPACTS...Strong currents can pull swimmers into deeper water and high waves can sweep people off piers. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions and do not venture out on piers. Please check with your local authorities on potential beach closures. && $$
047 WHUS43 KGRR 210602 CFWGRR Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI 202 AM EDT Thu May 21 2026 MIZ056-064-071-210715- /O.EXP.KGRR.BH.S.0001.000000T0000Z-260521T0600Z/ Ottawa-Allegan-Van Buren- 202 AM EDT Thu May 21 2026 ...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT HAS EXPIRED... Conditions have improved across the area as winds and waves have come down considerably. $$
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this beach hazards statement went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Grand Rapids, MI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this beach hazards statement went out at May 20, 3:59 AM EDT, 19 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Dry weather through Thursday night with frost possible tonight
- Rain back in the forecast Friday into the weekend
- Warmer and mainly dry early next week
Area forecast discussion, May 20, 3:59 AM EDT, 19 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Grand Rapids MI
359 AM EDT Wed May 20 2026
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Dry weather through Thursday night with frost possible tonight
- Rain back in the forecast Friday into the weekend
- Warmer and mainly dry early next week
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 358 AM EDT Wed May 20 2026
- Dry weather through Thursday night with frost possible tonight
Surface high pressure will bring dry weather today through
Thursday night. Clouds will gradually erode today with partly
cloudy skies expected tonight. We may need a Frost Advisory
tonight across Central Lower Michigan, but after coordination with
other offices decided to hold off on the advisory/warning decision
until later today as there may be a good amount of high clouds
around yet which would affect low temperatures. In addition, there
is a fair amount of wind in the lowest 2,000 feet. A partly
cloudy day is expected on Thursday with mid and high clouds
streaming in from the west. It will be cooler than normal today
and Thursday with highs in the 50s and 60s today warming to the
60s on Thursday. Normal highs are around 70.
- Rain back in the forecast Friday into the weekend
Rain returns to the forecast on Friday and especially for Friday
night and Saturday. A shortwave trough aloft lifts from the
Southern Plains states into the Great Lakes for Friday night and
Saturday with an upper trough then swinging through on Sunday. A
healthy surge of moisture comes in on a low level jet Friday night
and Saturday which is when we should have the highest
concentration of showers and thunderstorms. This time frame will
essentially be affected by a warm front of sorts with a cold front
moving through on Sunday. Bottom line is the weather will be a bit
unsettled during this time.
- Warmer and mainly dry early next week
Warmer and drier weather is expected early next week with zonal
flow aloft trending towards ridging. At the surface, ridging will
be in place. High temperatures will be warming into the 70s to
near 80 degrees.
&&
.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 159 AM EDT Wed May 20 2026
A cold front has progressed through all of the TAF sites as we
approach 06z with west to northwest winds now prevailing. Main
post frontal concern is the extent of MVFR ceilings that may
develop the remainder of the night. At this point, JXN is the only
TAF site with a MVFR ceiling. We do think that there will be some
expansion of the MVFR ceilings early this morning especially south
and east of GRR. These lower ceilings may persist through the
morning hours. This afternoon and evening VFR weather is expected.
Northwest winds at 5-15 knots will veer to the north and
northeast this afternoon and this evening.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 358 AM EDT Wed May 20 2026
Our typical advancing high scenario presents itself today on the
first day of the Surf Zone Forecast season. A high building into
the Great Lakes from the northwest winds increase northerly winds
down the shoreline through an enhanced pressure gradient along the
lakeshore. The combination of the high building in and thermal
affects (troughing developing over the Lower Peninsula) due to a
thinning of the low clouds produces stronger winds down the
shoreline. The winds can be seen in the HRRR guidance. While we
are not expecting many swimmers today (buoy water temps are in the
lower 50s) we will still issue a Beach Hazard Statement as the
season has begun. A corresponding Small Craft Advisory will be in
effect as well, both running from 100pm into tonight. Winds go
offshore late tonight and into Thursday which will lead to
improving conditions.
&&
.GRR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MI...Beach Hazards Statement from 1 PM EDT this afternoon through
late tonight for MIZ056-064-071.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 1 PM this afternoon to 2 AM EDT
Thursday for LMZ844>846.
&&
DISCUSSION...Duke
AVIATION...Duke
MARINE...DukeThe office that day
Everything else NWS Grand Rapids, MI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 4:14 AM EDT | Small Craft Advisory | GRR | 22 hr | |
| May 20, 1:33 PM EDT | Frost Advisory | GRR | Clare, Isabella, Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Newaygo and 2 more | 19 hr |
Nearby
Beach Hazards Statements in Michigan, 2026Every beach hazards statement in 2026
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.